Fresh Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad with Mozzarella (Easy Summer Recipe)
Every summer, as soon as the garden starts overflowing with cucumbers and tomatoes, this salad goes on repeat at. I love that I can walk outside and pick almost everything I need, including the cucumbers, tomatoes, basil, and garlic. The only ingredients I usually have to grab from the store are the avocado and fresh mozzarella.
It comes together in under 15 minutes with a simple homemade dressing that’s light, fresh, and lets the garden flavors shine. If you love the classic flavors of a Caprese salad, you’ll love this fresh twist.
Whether we’re grilling burgers, chicken, or steak, or I just need a quick lunch on a hot day, this cucumber tomato avocado salad is one recipe I never get tired of. This is one of my summer party go-to’s.
The Good Stuff Ingredient Swaps
At The Good Stuff, we focus on Simple Swaps to make family favorites a little cleaner. The list below isn’t the full recipe-it just highlights the specific ingredients we swapped out for real, whole-food alternatives to ditch the seed oils, dyes and fillers.
- The Olive Oil Swap: Since this dressing only has a handful of ingredients, using a quality extra virgin olive oil really makes a difference. Many grocery store olive oils are blended with cheaper oils or are heavily refined. If you’re not sure what to look for, I put together a guide to choosing a healthier olive oil that explains what I buy and what I avoid.
- The Garlic Swap: Fresh garlic adds so much more flavor than the jars of pre-minced garlic (or “jarlic”). Those jars often contain preservatives to keep the garlic shelf stable. If you’ve ever wondered why I skip “jarlic,” check out my fresh garlic ingredient swap, where I explain the differences and what I recommend instead.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in under 15 minutes.
- Perfect for using garden vegetables.
- Naturally gluten free and fairly low carb
- Light but filling thanks to creamy avocado and fresh mozzarella.
- Great side dish for nearly any summer meal, bbq or cookout!
- No cooking required.
Ingredient Tips
Garden Cucumbers
If you’re using cucumbers from the garden instead of an English cucumber, I recommend cutting them in half lengthwise and scooping out the seeds with a spoon before slicing.
Garden cucumbers usually have larger seeds and hold more water than English cucumbers. Removing the seeds helps keep the salad crisp instead of watery.
Garden Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes work wonderfully because they’re naturally sweet and don’t release as much juice, but don’t hesitate to substitute chopped garden tomatoes. During the summer, I almost always use whatever tomatoes are ripe in the garden. If they are extra juicy, try to drain off some of the juice.
Fresh Basil
Instead of finely chopping your basil, try slicing it into ribbons.
Make a stack of basil leaves,, roll them into a little log, and slice thin strips across the roll. This technique, called a chiffonade, it helps prevent bruising so the basil stays bright green and keeps more of its fresh flavor. I need to add a picture of this, but naturally forgot in all of the chaos that is my house…this is real life folks! hah! I’ll try to add one soon!
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh mozzarella pearls make this recipe incredibly easy because they’re already bite-sized. If you can’t find them, you can dice a block or ball of fresh mozzarella into small cubes. The creamy mozzarella pairs perfectly with the juicy tomatoes and rich avocado. These are the ones I like!
FAQs
Can I use regular cucumbers?
Yes! If you’re using garden cucumbers or standard slicing cucumbers, I recommend removing the seeds first if they’re large.
Can I use garden tomatoes?
Absolutely. Any ripe garden tomato works beautifully. Just chop them into bite-sized pieces. If they’re extra juicy, just drain off a bit of the juice.
Can I make this ahead of time?
You can prepare the dressing in one container and everything except the avocado in another. Add the avocado and dressing as close to serving as possible.
Can I use dried basil?
Fresh basil is highly recommended. Since there are so few ingredients, fresh herbs make a noticeable difference. Fresh parsley would also be delicious in this if you have that on hand instead.
How long does it keep?
This salad is best enjoyed the day it’s made. As it sits, the avocado begins to brown and the cucumbers and tomatoes release moisture. I will still eat in the next day haha, but don’t necessarily recommend it.
What to Serve with this Fresh Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad:
- Poor Man’s Brisket: Black Peppered Smoked Chuck Roast: Really, this would be tasty with anything off the grill at a summer cookout.
- The Best Parmesan Crusted Chicken Legs-Gluten Free & Keto: The Parmesan crust would go so good with this fresh salad!
More Clean-Eating Garden Recipes to Try
If you love quick and easy clean-ingredient garden recipes like this one, be sure to check out some of my other tested favorites from the kitchen:
- Easy Sheet Pan Eggs with Asparagus and Potatoes (One-Pan Breakfast!)
- Roasted Parmesan Garlic Green Beans
- Simple Oven-Baked Asparagus Fries with a Parmesan Crunch
Fresh Cucumber Tomato Avocado Salad with Mozzarella
This fresh cucumber tomato avocado salad is the perfect summer side dish! Made with crisp cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, creamy avocado, fresh mozzarella, basil, and a simple homemade vinaigrette, it's ready in under 15 minutes and is a delicious way to enjoy garden-fresh produce.
Ingredients
- 1 large avocado, diced
- ½ English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
- 3 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 8 ounces fresh mozzarella pearls (or 1 cup diced fresh mozzarella)
- ⅓ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons (chiffonade)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves, grated
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
1. In a large serving bowl, combine the cucumber, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, avocado and basil.
2. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, sea salt, and black pepper until well combined.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
4. Taste and add additional salt or pepper if desired.
5. Serve immediately for the freshest flavor.
Notes
* If using garden cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before slicing to help keep the salad from becoming watery. If it's a smaller cucumber, I use the whole thing!
* Garden tomatoes work beautifully in place of cherry tomatoes. Simply chop them into bite-sized pieces. If they are very juicy, drain off extra juice
* Fresh basil is best sliced into thin ribbons rather than finely chopped to help prevent bruising and preserve its flavor.
* For the best texture and color, add the avocado and the dressing just before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving:Calories: 245Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 435mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 4gProtein: 11g
Nutrition information is calculated automatically as a courtesy and is an estimate only. Accuracy is not guaranteed as values can vary based on specific brands and preparation methods used.
